Avenida Ready For The Fight

And it's not because his team has already shown this season it can beat Ros.

That happened on December 12, in Valencia.

It's down to something else.

"For the time being," Fernández said, "we have covered all the aims of this club."

What Avenida have proved is that last year's run to the EuroLeague Women Final was no fluke.

They ended Ros Casares' long winning streak at La Fonteta with that 79-78 win before Christmas, and they also reached the Copa de la Reina Final, a game the Valencia club won by a slender margin, 64-62.

Avenida have been outstanding yet again in the EuroLeague Women, too.

The Salamanca club's players would prefer to have their rowdy fans behind them in Games 1 and 3 against Ros Casares, but the enemy has home-court advantage.

"The court will be the most important factor but if we play well, we already know that we can win away from home," Fernández said.

"Of what I'm certain of is that Ros is not calm about facing us."

Looking at the pay packets of both teams, Fernández concedes that Avenida should be at a disadvantage.

"Now we are going to face people with bigger budgets and potential and it will be a mighty challenge to get to the next stage," Fernández said.

He will know, however, that players and not paychecks will decide this series.